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To the Constituents of the 37th House District:
The fourth full week of the 2025 General Assembly Session has concluded, and only two more weeks remain before adjournment on February 22. This year, Crossover fell on Wednesday, February 4, which means that only legislation that passed out of the other chamber can now be considered. Of the 1,459 bills introduced in the House, 618 passed over to the Senate, and of the 901 bills introduced in the Senate, 444 passed over to the House. These two weeks will be busy as bills will have second hearings, and similar legislation will be merged through the committee process or put into conference.
On Thursday, the House passed its version of the budget. Over the next week it will be put into conference with the Senate’s version and both documents will eventually be merged and sent to the governor for consideration. As mentioned before, the current makeup of the General Assembly means that the governor’s priorities, including car tax relief and no tax on tips, were not included in the document. The budget does include a tax rebate check of $200 for single filers and $400 for joint filers, and the current standard deduction is made permanent.
I’m happy to report that my bills to eliminate vehicle registration decals, increase pupil transportation options, prohibit the sale of counterfeit and unsafe lighters, expand coverage for prostate screening, and update the respective charters for the Town of Buchanan and the City of Lexington, all passed out of the House and are making their way through the Senate committee process.
HB2080, which modernizes the DMV registration process by eliminating registration stickers, reported unanimously out of Senate Transportation and was referred to Senate Finance and Appropriations. To address concerns raised by Treasurers and Commissioners of Revenue, I have placed an amendment on the bill that will delay enactment by one year and require the DMV to create a stakeholder work group that will ensure a sensible path forward.
HB2720 seeks to address the school bus driver shortage and provide flexibility to students when it comes to transportation options. It is the same as the bill I patroned last year, with a few changes: it is limited to a two-year pilot program for school divisions with total fall membership enrollment of fewer than 4,500 students.
HB2642 regulates and prohibits the sale of unsafe and counterfeit lighters in the Commonwealth by creating definitions for lighters, unsafe lighters, and counterfeit lighters to protect children from these hazardous products.
HB2097 expands coverage for prostate cancer screening in the Commonwealth and passed out of the House 97-0.
HB2092 updates the Town of Buchanan’s charter to reflect the shift to November municipal elections and the town manager’s requirements and responsibilities, while HB2644 allows the City of Lexington the flexibility to appoint 5-7 members onto its EDA, rather than the currently required seven.
I am also pleased to report that a bill I co-patroned to lower rates for Appalachian Power Company (APCo) customers is making its way through the General Assembly. HB 2621, known as the “APCo Rate Reduction Act,” will provide the most significant rate relief bill for APCo customers in recent years. The bill has five main components intended to change the way that APCo does business moving forward. First, it will create additional State Corporation Commission (SCC) oversight by requiring the SCC to annually review APCo’s finances, and to order customer refunds if the company earns more than allowed. Second, it will place a freeze on the company’s rate increases until at least March 2026, with the caveat that rates are allowed to be decreased. Third, it will simplify customer bills by rolling several “rate adjustment clauses” into base rates and places a moratorium on APCo from applying for additional rate adjustments until at least 2026. Fourth, it prohibits APCo from raising rates during the winter months when electric bills are typically the highest. And finally, a process known as “securitization” will allow APCo to remove the costs of generation facilities from its rates, which will immediately reduce customers’ base rates.
HB2621 passed out of the House 81-17 and is currently awaiting hearing in Senate Commerce and Labor. As with any bill, and especially one as complex as this, there will likely be changes in the final two weeks, but I am confident that it will advance in a manner that will provide much needed relief to customers.
Last week we welcomed to the Capitol officers and cadets from the Virginia Military Institute. The group of upperclassmen visited Richmond to meet with legislators to thank them for their support of higher education and the Institute. Founded in 1839, VMI is the oldest state-supported military college in the country, and its impact on our Commonwealth cannot be overstated. It is always a pleasure talking with our future military leaders and I always say everyone stands up straighter when this group is walking the grounds. We are fortunate to have this historic institution in our district!
It is an honor to serve you in the Virginia House of Delegates. If I can be of assistance to you, or you would like to share your position on any of my legislative priorities, please do not hesitate to contact me at DelTAustin@House.Virginia.gov or 804-698-1037.
Delegate Terry L. Austin
37th House District
